exiting the dorm building, the thunderclaps overhead sounded like they were on a countdown. One foot landed on the wet cement ground, making a "啪嗒" sound as water splashed up onto my pants. "妈的！" I cursed under my breath, shaking off the water.

Back in my old room, the unpacking was still in full swing. I'd barely had a chance to sit down when the door burst open, revealing Lin Tao, my former roommate, with a group of guys surrounding him.

"Hey, Long Fei, you're finally back!" Lin Tao said with a grin, clapping me on the shoulder. "I heard you skipped out on the group project last night. What's the deal?"

I glanced at the group project on the table, a half-finished document littered with half-formed ideas. I sighed quietly, not wanting to get into an argument. "I just had other things on my mind," I said evasively.

"Other things?" Lin Tao raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing. "Or are you just slacking off like always?"

I didn't want to fight, but I also didn't want to look weak in front of them. "I can finish it up whenever you guys need it," I said, trying to defuse the situation.